90-457: Wellard is a Belgian Tervuren dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders . His character first appeared in the series on 18 October 1994, and became EastEnders ' longest-serving pet, before being killed off on 15 August 2008. Although the character is male, he has been played primarily by three female dogs: Zenna, her daughter Chancer, and her granddaughter Kyte. A fourth dog briefly served as
180-568: A "new phenomenon" of soap pets going missing without any explanation. They described numerous pets being absent for lengthy periods of time. They added that "most importantly" was the absence of Robbie's "beloved pal" Wellard. They added their disappointment that Gaffney was being written out of EastEnders and hoped for "one last emotional appearance" from the dog. Hyland was critical of the 2003 storyline which saw Robbie leave EastEnders to move to Mumbai with his girlfriend Nita ( Bindya Solanki ) and her son Anish (Ali Zahoor). He explained that
270-508: A 2005 storyline saw Wellard threatened with euthanasia for biting local café owner Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt ), James Desborough of The People suggested that EastEnders producers were hoping to emulate the success of a storyline from rival soap opera Coronation Street , which saw fans protest the arrest of character Deirdre Rachid ( Anne Kirkbride ), going as far as to lobby the UK Parliament for her release. Desborough deemed
360-538: A B&B, King George Guest House, which opened in 2008. Turpin Way includes the local garage, informally known as The Arches, the community centre, a playground and a boxing gym. Other locations seen or mentioned in the series include Victoria Square, Walford Towers, Kingsley Road, Spring Lane and the High Street. Storylines in 2017 mentioned the demolition of Walford Towers, as a means of introducing new characters to
450-462: A catering business, and a bric-a-brac shop, also owned by Ian. It also becomes a beauty salon, first called Sophisti-Kate's, run by Kate Mitchell ( Jill Halfpenny ), then Booty, run by Tanya Branning ( Jo Joyner ), Roxy's, run by Roxy Mitchell ( Rita Simons ), and Beauty, run by Sadie Young ( Kate Magowan ). It returns to being a wine and cocktail bar in 2014 when Sharon Watts opens The Albert. After Vincent Hubbard ( Richard Blackwood ) buys half
540-507: A charcoal-coloured face and extremities. The Tervuren variety is long-haired like the Groenendael; its double coat is typically fawn in colour with black overlay and with black extremities, although grey with black is known. It has a ruff of long hair around the neck and feathering on the legs. Belgian Shepherds are known to be highly intelligent, alert and sensitive; they are typically highly trainable, vigilant and hard-working with
630-501: A child, the dogs playing Wellard were better paid than she was. When Emma Barton , who played Honey Mitchell , was axed from the soap later that year, she spoke of her dismay that Wellard's death was being marketed as a bigger storyline than her character's exit. Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury called it "particularly galling" that Barton's exit was upstaged by Wellard's death. In January 2003, an Inside Soap reporter noted
720-456: A common type of shepherd dog found throughout Western Europe that includes such modern breeds as the Bouvier des Ardennes , Dutch Shepherd and German Shepherd , and was a common sight in the service of Belgian shepherds for centuries. At the end of the nineteenth century a breed club was formed and attempts were made to standardise the breed. Its historical role was as a herding dog. It
810-489: A cop on the edge with a drink problem and distemper." For Red Nose Day 2007 , Aardman Animations created a Creature Comforts -style short featuring Wellard asking for money for Comic Relief , along with selling his offspring and being put in prison. Belgian Tervuren The Belgian Shepherd ( Dutch : Belgische Herder ), also known as the Belgian Sheepdog ( Dutch : Belgische Herdershond ) or
900-415: A dumb and soppy creature, but Wellard rose to the occasion.)". Derek McGovern of The Mirror criticised Gaffney's acting ability, observing: "Outside of Lassie movies I haven't seen a dog consistently steal scenes off a human the way Wellard used to pinch them from Dean." Gemma Bissix appeared in the show as a child actor from 1993 to 1998, playing Clare Bates . She commented on her return in 2008 that as
990-405: A fire. On the northeast edge of Albert Square is a car lot, south of which is another terrace of three elevated properties. The northernmost house is number 5. A road leads north at the square's northeast edge, passing by the car lot. The middle house is at 3 Albert Square. Most southerly of this terrace is number 1, originally flats with the doctor's surgery on the ground floor, which later became
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#17327879204901080-590: A fundraising appeal for the Victoria Animal Hospital in London in 2000, and the first All About Dogs Day at Notcutts garden centre in August 2008. Satirical impression series Dead Ringers referenced Wellard in a 2004 episode, running the continuity announcement: "Later on ITV1 , new drama featuring the latest EastEnders star we've signed up for a ridiculous advance. Yes Wellard the dog is Barker,
1170-573: A meal of it." Grace Dent , also of The Guardian , wrote that she was an "emotional mess" when Wellard was euthanised, calling him "one of the true old guard of EastEnders ". Andy Bollen of the Sunday Mail deemed it a shame Wellard had been killed off, calling him "the most convincing actor on the soap", while The Mirror 's Maeve Quigley called Wellard's death sadder than that of human character Jase Dyer ( Stephen Lord ) shortly afterwards. Wise similarly opined that Wellard upstaged most of
1260-684: A poll by magazine Inside Soap named Wellard as the UK's favourite soap opera pet. He came second in a poll to find Britain's favourite TV pet in April 2006, losing to Lassie and in March 2008 was named the fifth best dog on television by Anna Pickard of The Guardian , behind Bouncer from Neighbours , Willy from EastEnders , Lassie and Dogtanian . It was noted in The People in July 1997 that Wellard
1350-428: A replacement for Zenna in 1996, when she was given time off from the show to have a litter of puppies. Wellard was briefly written out of the series under executive producer Matthew Robinson , but returned when Robinson was succeeded by John Yorke . Wellard's owners for the majority of his duration in the soap were Robbie Jackson and Gus Smith . He was voted "Best Pet" at the 2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards , and named
1440-678: A shed-load of Bonios . Anyway, sorry to see you go old thing. Let's hope your benign spirit will soon be visited upon that Bianca, though. Loved you, she did... but so loudly does she mourn. Tell her that great old age and the Grim Reaper mean nothing personal. In contrast, however, Laws felt that EastEnders was becoming too depressing, noting that Wellard's death came at the same time Jase was murdered and Honey and her husband Billy ( Perry Fenwick ) broke up, writing: "I feel like slitting my wrists when I tune in now. [...] There's only so much gritty realism we can take in our soaps, and EastEnders
1530-460: A silent partner. When Ronnie and Jack separate, Ronnie sells her share of the club to Jack, although after a fire in the club, Ronnie and Roxy each buy a share in the club. When Billy tries to woo Carol Jackson ( Lindsay Coulson ), Carol's daughter Bianca Jackson ( Patsy Palmer ) becomes aggressive and creates an argument between them, Stacey, Janine Butcher ( Charlie Brooks ) and Kat Slater ( Jessie Wallace ). An Inside Soap columnist labelled
1620-484: A single house. Bridge Street is the location of the street market and shops including the café, launderette, and mini-supermarket. The café is originally named Al's Cafe and owned by Ali Osman ( Nejdet Salih ) and Sue Osman ( Sandy Ratcliff ), where they also operate the taxi firm OzCabs. When Ali develops a gambling addiction, he is forced to sell the café to Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt ), who manages it with his wife, Cindy Beale ( Michelle Collins ), until he sells
1710-553: A strong guarding instinct making them protective of property and family, and very well suited for service with security services. The Groenendael and Tervueren varieties have a reputation for occasionally being snappy, making them less suitable as companion dogs for children; the Laekenois, whilst considered very good with children, can occasionally be troublesome with other dogs. The Belgian Shepherd responds well to training, and ideally requires training from an early age. The breed
1800-574: A variety of roles. The Belgian Shepherd descends from the same common type of herding dog as similar Western European breeds such as the Bouvier des Ardennes , the Dutch Shepherd and the German Shepherd , and for centuries was used by Belgian shepherds for this task. Unlike in other European countries where, throughout the nineteenth century, shepherd breeds were standardised and breeders made efforts to perpetuate their breeds, by
1890-409: Is 43 Albert Square. In the southwest corner of the square is number 41. Between numbers 41 and 43 is Daisy Lane, a pathway connecting Albert Square to Victoria Square. Daisy Lane was named after the daughter of Series Designer Steven Keogh. On the west edge of The Square there are two houses 18 and 20 Albert Square, which have been knocked through as a single property and then later separated again. It
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#17327879204901980-407: Is also commonly kept as a companion dog , or used as an assistance dog , detection dog , guard dog , guide dog , police dog or search and rescue dog . It has a long history of being used by Belgian police as well as military forces, serving for Belgian armed forces in both World Wars, as well as US Army since then. In the twenty-first century it is in use by a number of armed forces worldwide in
2070-502: Is also known as the 'Bench of Tears', as it is often the place where characters will go and cry. One corner of the square is taken up by The Queen Victoria Public House. There is a B&B and a car lot. The square's design was based on Fassett Square in Dalston , and was given the name Albert Square after Prince Albert . The Queen Victoria, was also given its name due to this. The Queen Victoria public house, known to residents as
2160-476: Is also offered a small share in the business by Phil. Janine and Sharon later sell their shares to Phil, leaving him as the sole-owner. The R&R closes at some point in before Christmas 2016, and remains shut until February 2018, when Sharon decides to reopen it, with Mel Owen ( Tamzin Outhwaite ) as the manager. Mel plans to rename the club "The Phoenix", but her son Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter) sabotages
2250-404: Is falsely blamed for spiking Stacey's drink. A reporter from Inside Soap labelled the moment "a rather unromantic start to Stacey and Bradders' love story!" Ronnie Mitchell ( Samantha Womack ) and Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen ) buy the club, renaming it the "R&R" - the initials of Ronnie and her sister, Roxy Mitchell ( Rita Simons ). Ronnie and Roxy run the club, while Jack operates as
2340-428: Is falsely imprisoned so when Phil signs the café to his sister, Sam Mitchell ( Kim Medcalf ), she naïvely sells the business back to Ian. Ian manages the café with his wife Jane Beale ( Laurie Brett ) until they divorce and Jane wins the business in the divorce settlement. Jane sells the café to Phil and he lets his partner, Shirley Carter ( Linda Henry ), manage it. She names the property Shirley's Cafe. Phil sells
2430-477: Is forced to close it down a few months later due to high debts. It is reopened in 2019 by Denise Fox ( Diane Parish ) as a salon named Fox & Hair. George Street is the location of an Italian restaurant, Giuseppe's, which later becomes an Indian restaurant, The Argee Bhajee, when a new owner takes over. Walford East tube station is on George Street, which first appeared on screen in late 1985 when Lou Beale ( Anna Wing ) collapses outside it. On maps seen inside
2520-444: Is involved in a minibus crash, Wellard is able to save his owner by leading him to a spot from where he can call the emergency services. Wellard is reported to the police when he bites local café owner Ian Beale on the buttocks. He is taken away, with the possibility that he will be euthanised , but Gus and Deano Wicks ( Matt Di Angelo ) launch a campaign to save him, under the moniker "Walford One Owed Freedom" (WOOF). When Wellard
2610-461: Is long feathering on the rear of the legs, they have an abundant mane on their neck and chest, particularly long hair on the rear of their thighs and a bushy tail that forms a plume. Short-haired dogs have particularly short hair on the faces, ears and lower portion of their legs, short over the rest of the body and slightly longer on the neck and tail. Rough-haired dogs have a coat that is rough, dry and approximately 6 cm (2.4 in) long over
2700-401: Is muscular but not overly heavy; body length from shoulder to haunches is approximately the same as the height at the withers, proportionally slightly longer in bitches; the topline is straight and the belly neither low-slung nor overly high like that of a sighthound . The chest is deep but not overly broad; the neck is muscular, widening at the shoulders with a slight arch at the nape; the tail
2790-466: Is passed to Andonis's son, Apostolos Papadopolous . Apostolos sells the launderette to Phil Mitchell and Kat Slater ( Jessie Wallace ) in 2021, and Kat also sets up a taxi company called “Kat’s Cabs” in the backroom. Turpin Road is the location of a war memorial, bookmaker, chip shop, funeral parlour, restaurant and an upmarket bar as well as several other businesses. The name Turpin Road was chosen after
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2880-675: Is put on trial, Ian's partner Jane ( Laurie Brett ) presents character witness statements for the dog, written by Ian's children, Lucy ( Melissa Suffield ) and Peter ( Thomas Law ). Wellard is found guilty, but as a result of the statements, Gus is allowed to take him home as long as he keeps him on a lead at all times. When Gus leaves Walford to travel with his girlfriend Keisha (Suzie McGrath), he leaves Wellard with his friend Mickey Miller ( Joe Swash ). Mickey sells Wellard to Vinnie Monks ( Bobby Davro ), who intends to give him to his girlfriend Shirley Carter ( Linda Henry ). When it transpires Shirley does not want him, Vinnie gives Wellard to
2970-402: Is really overloading us at the moment." In 2013, Digital Spy 's Naomi Gordon opined that Wellard's death was one of the eight "saddest fictional dog deaths", saying "There wasn't a dry eye in the house." Wellard is considered a "celebrity" dog, and during his EastEnders tenure, the dogs playing him would occasionally make personal appearances at events, including the dog-show Crufts in 1998,
3060-437: Is rough-haired, its coat is fawn in colour with discreet black overlay and is harsh, dry and normally slightly tangled in appearance; it has a bristled, feathered muzzle and limited feathering on the legs and tail. According to the breed standard, black overlay means the tips of the hair are black but not in patches or stripes such as brindle . The Malinois variety is short-haired, it is fawn in colour with black overlay, with
3150-467: Is strong and of medium length, and curves upwards slightly at the level of the knee. The forelegs are straight and well-boned, the hind legs muscular and powerful; the legs are not overly heavy. The four varieties vary principally in their coat types and colours. The breed standard describes three coat varieties; long-haired, short-haired and rough-haired. Long-haired dogs have a long, smooth coat with short hair on their faces, ears and legs although there
3240-656: Is the primary setting for the soap. EastEnders is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire , towards the north-west of London . Much of the location work is filmed in nearby Watford , which was chosen for many of the exterior scenes due to its close proximity and the town's name being so similar to Walford. Thus, any stray road signs or advertising boards which are accidentally filmed in the back of shots will appear to read Walford. Locations used in Watford include most interior and exterior church scenes of various churches,
3330-679: Is very active – particularly the Malinois, which may reflect its continued breeding for security roles. While Belgian Shepherds of all coat types require ample exercise, the breed adapts well to living indoors. The Belgian Shepherd, particularly in the Groenendael, Laekenois and Tervuren varieties, is predominantly kept as a pet or companion dog ; all of the varieties may compete in obedience competitions and Schutzhund . The dogs are versatile and are often trained for use as assistance dogs , detection dogs , guard dogs , guide dogs , police dogs , and search and rescue dogs . In recent times,
3420-527: The Sunday Mirror 's Ian Hyland wrote: "He should try being Robbie Jackson. Wellard gets better scripts and better girls than him." Similarly, Garry Bushell of The People compared EastEnders with rival soap Coronation Street following a 2003 scheduling clash, observing: " ITV had Richard Hillman 's heavyweight murder confession. BBC1 gave us Robbie Jackson's heart-to-heart with Wellard. (Don't scoff – it's tough to play moving scenes with
3510-450: The Chien de Berger Belge , is a Belgian breed of herding dog of medium size. It is bred in four distinct varieties based on coat type and colour: the long-haired black Groenendael ; the rough-haired fawn Laekenois ; the short-haired fawn Malinois , and the long-haired fawn Tervuren . The American Kennel Club considers the four varieties to be separate breeds. The breed descends from
3600-468: The Jackson family . Bianca Jackson ( Patsy Palmer ) feeds Wellard a chocolate, causing him to suffer from theobromine poisoning . He has to be euthanised, is cremated , and has his ashes scattered on the local allotment. Wellard was voted "Best Pet" at the 2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards . His death storyline was nominated in the "Tearjerker" category at the 2008 All About Soap Bubble Awards. In 2009,
3690-638: The Mechelen region (called Malines in French), where it was the predominant coat type used by the local shepherds. The Laekenois variety has always been the rarest; they take their name from the Château de Laeken , a residence of the Belgian royal family . The Laekenois was a favourite of Queen Marie Henriette , who frequently watched them in the service of the shepherds who grazed the royal domains around
Wellard - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-456: The Tetanus jab?" Tim Teeman of The Times called it the "daftest" storyline of the year, comparing it to a similarly ill-received and long-running storyline given to the unpopular Ferreira family . Wellard's death drew generally favourable reviews from critics. The Guardian 's Nancy Banks-Smith deemed Wellard to have "died with great dignity [...] Not, as a lesser dog might, making
3870-819: The United States Secret Service , the Israel Defense Forces ' Oketz Unit , the Australian Defence Force , and the anti-poaching canine unit at the Kruger National Park . A UK study for a life expectancy of 12 years for the Malinois and 13.8 years for the Tervuren compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . The Société Royale Saint-Hubert recommends all four varieties are tested for hip and elbow dysplasia and that
3960-444: The breed standard states the ideal height is 62 cm (24 in) for dogs and 58 cm (23 in) for bitches. The breed has a long, slender head with triangular, erect ears that are rounded at the base, and a long, narrow but balanced muzzle. According to the breed standard a dog that stands 62 centimetres at the withers should have a head 25 cm (9.8 in) long and a muzzle approximately half that length. The body
4050-668: The "[d]eath of the best actor in the show", and the South Wales Echo published the obituary: Farewell, brave Wellard. Trusted friend; solid companion. Guardian of Jacksons and wee-er on settee cushions. Off you smelled – and gentle – into that Dark Night. Did you like that epitaph, you latest occupant of the Great Lane of Burst Black Bin Liners in the Sky, you? Fourteen years of playing canine clown, eh? I bet that bought
4140-492: The 2010 Children In Need charity appeal, Walford became twinned with Weatherfield in a special programme uniting the two soaps EastEnders and Coronation Street called " East Street ". The main setting of EastEnders is Albert Square, where many of the characters reside. Central to the Square is the garden. The garden is home to Arthur Fowler 's ( Bill Treacher ) bench, which was placed there in memory of him. The bench
4230-536: The Château de Groenendael. Rose owned a long-haired, black Belgian Shepherd bitch called "Petite", liking her look so much he spent over a year searching for a suitable mate, eventually finding a dog named "Piccard D'Uccle" who belonged to a shepherd called Mr Beernaert. These two are considered the foundation stock of the variety. Their finest progeny were called "Duc de Groenendael" and "Barroness" who were mated widely to Belgian Shepherds of different appearances with
4320-649: The Club de Chien Berger Belge or the Société Royale Saint-Hubert . In 1905 it was decided that interbreeding between the different varieties should be forbidden, but the disruptions caused by the First World War resulted in a decline in breed numbers, so in 1920 it was decided matings between the varieties should be allowed in order to preserve the breed and avoid issues resulting from inbreeding. The Second World War once again threatened
4410-688: The Groenendael. The Groenendael remains the most numerous variety, followed by the Tervuren. The number of Malinois is growing, while the Laekenois remains comparatively rare. Most of the world's national kennel clubs including the Société Royale Saint-Hubert, as well as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale , recognise the Belgian Shepherd as a single breed with four distinct varieties. The American Kennel Club recognises
4500-616: The Laekenois has been employed by the Belgian Army in a variety of roles (in addition to the longstanding use of the Malinois), and the Tervuren is frequently used by government organisations as a drug detection dog. The Malinois in particular has become increasingly popular with customs, military, border guard and police forces; organisations that utilise the Malinois include the United States Armed Forces ,
4590-433: The Malinois be tested for epilepsy . The working lines of the Malinois have been associated with Rage syndrome . A genetic polymorphism in the dopamine transporter gene has been linked to Rage syndrome, and dogs at risk of passing the genotype on to offspring can be identified through genetic testing . Walford Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders . It
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#17327879204904680-628: The Queen Vic or simply 'The Vic', stands south of the square at number 46 Albert Square, where it joins with Bridge Street. East of the pub is a building with 2 flats and west of these in the southwest corner leads off to a walkway through to Turpin Way, on which the Walford Community Centre and Playground are found. To the west of the Queen Vic, across the junction with Bridge Street, is the Beale house, 45 Albert Square. Next to that
4770-564: The U.S. in the following years; to this day in the US the name Belgian Shepherd or Belgian Sheepdog is commonly used to refer to the Groenendael. The Malinois variety was said to be the first variety to breed true to type and initially they became so well-known in Belgium that at one time the other varieties were collectively called "other-than-Malinois", it was the Malinois that the other varieties were gauged against. The variety takes its name from
4860-436: The UK's favourite soap opera pet in a 2009 Inside Soap poll. Wellard was a fan favourite, and although a storyline that saw him threatened with euthanasia for biting local café owner Ian Beale was poorly received by critics, his death drew generally favourable reviews. Wellard's name is a portmanteau of "well hard", meaning "very tough". The character was originally played by a Belgian Shepherd (Tervuren) named Zenna, who
4950-502: The argument "one of our favourite catfights". Jack is later shot at the club by gang member Kylie ( Elarica Gallacher ), and a few months later, he sells his share of the club to Phil Mitchell ( Steve McFadden ). Ronnie and Roxy also sell their shares to Janine. Upon her return to Walford, Sharon becomes the R&;R's bar manager and she holds her wedding to Jack at the club. At the altar, Jack jilts Sharon, leaving her saddened. Sharon
5040-542: The aspect of the storyline which upset him most was Wellard being run over "so the scriptwriters could engineer the inevitable last-minute dash to the airport", questioning: "What's Wellard ever done to deserve that?" The storyline which saw Wellard threatened with euthanasia after biting Ian Beale received negative reviews from critics, deemed "bizarre" by James Desborough of The People , and the "longest, most tedious ever soap storyline" by Jim Shelley of The Mirror . Bushell simply wrote: "Wellard bit Ian Beale. Which one needs
5130-544: The bar and Sharon later sells her half to Vincent as well, he and his wife, Kim Fox-Hubbard ( Tameka Empson ), run it until he is forced to sell it to pay people he owes money to and it is left empty in early 2018. Kathy buys the building in 2019, and decides to reopen it as a gay bar called The Prince Albert. Next door to the nightclub is a building that originally housed the Snooker World snooker club. When Johnny Allen buys Angie's Den, he buys Snooker World and merges
5220-553: The black progeny retained. Initially Rose had wanted to name the variety the "Rose", but it was deemed this could cause confusion given their black colour so they were instead named after his château, Groenendael. During the First World War, Groenendaels were used by the Belgian Army to locate wounded soldiers and carry messages. Their bravery was recognised by U.S. soldiers during the war and examples were imported to
5310-403: The body, they have shorter hair on the top of the muzzle and legs and, unlike the other coat types, they have long hair on the face and muzzle. The Groenendael variety is long-haired, it has a solid black double coat, the outer coat is straight and particularly long around the shoulders, neck and chest; they have short hair on the face, and well feathered legs and tail. The Laekenois variety
5400-445: The business to Ian, and he renames the café to Mandy's Café. When Ian has a nervous breakdown and leaves, his daughter Lucy Beale ( Hetti Bywater ) takes control of his businesses, calling the cafe Cindy's Café. Upon his return, Ian regains ownership of the café and when she returns to Walford, Jane manages it. A few years later, Kathy returns and when she begins managing the café, Ian renames it to Kathy's Café. A year later, Ian sells
5490-428: The business to his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth ). Ian buys the café back following the birth of Kathy's son, Ben Mitchell (Matthew Silver), although loses the business when he becomes bankrupt years later. Phil Mitchell ( Steve McFadden ) buys the property and employs Laura Beale ( Hannah Waterman ), the estranged wife of Ian, to manage it. She renames the property to Laura's Café. Laura dies and Phil
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#17327879204905580-399: The cast, and that his death was more of a "tear-jerker" than the return of Jim Branning ( John Bardon ) who had been absent after suffering from a stroke . The Mirror 's Kevin O'Sullivan commented: "a canine Oscar to the hound who played Wellard – the pedigree chum whose sad demise after 14 years of fouling Walford's pavements was genuinely moving." Shelley wrote that it signified
5670-449: The château; this patronage contributed to their popularity at the time. In addition to being used as herding dogs, rough-haired Belgian Shepherds were traditionally used as guard dogs in the regions surrounding Boom , guarding valuable linens put out to bleach in the sun. The Tervuren variety is believed to have been created when a brewer, M. Corbeel, bred his fawn long-haired Belgian Shepherd pair "Tom" and "Poes", one of their progeny
5760-603: The club "Angie's Den", in memory of her parents Angie Watts ( Anita Dobson ) and Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ). Following a refurbishment, Den buys into the business and co-owns with Sharon. They sell the club to Johnny Allen ( Billy Murray ), who renames it "Scarlet" after his deceased daughter. Johnny gives the club to his surviving daughter, Ruby Allen ( Louisa Lytton ), when he is imprisoned. The start of Stacey Slater ( Lacey Turner ) and Bradley Branning 's ( Charlie Clements ) relationship begins in Scarlet when Bradley
5850-514: The club "The Market Cellar". Annie later sells the club to Steve Owen ( Martin Kemp ), who renames it "e20". In 1999, under Steve's ownership, Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor) is killed in the club after a struggle with Steve and Matthew Rose ( Joe Absolom ). Beppe di Marco ( Michael Greco ) and Billy Mitchell ( Perry Fenwick ) buy the club from Steve, although Beppe sells his majority share to Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean ), who rebrands
5940-519: The end of the century the Belgian Shepherd was becoming obsolete and was at danger of extinction. In 1891, the Club de Chien Berger Belge was formed with the purpose of saving the type and a team led by Professor Adolphe Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary School conducted a field survey of the type. As the Belgian Shepherd had for centuries been bred for working ability with little consideration given to form, Professor Reul found
6030-514: The first place you can cross a river. Walford's London postcode district is E20 (real East London postcode districts only went up to E18 until 2011, when E20 was introduced to serve the London 2012 Olympic Park). Walford's fictional tube station , Walford East, is located on the EastEnders tube map in the position normally occupied by the real Bromley-by-Bow tube station . As part of
6120-691: The four varieties as separate breeds, leading to some difficulties for American breeders who breed from imported European stock: European Groenendaels in particular can whelp Tervuren-coloured pups; in most of the world these can be registered as Tervurens, whereas in the United States they would be disqualified from registration. The Belgian Shepherd is a medium-sized athletic breed with a body built for endurance. Dogs typically stand between 56 and 66 cm (22 and 26 in), with bitches being on average 4 cm (2 in) shorter than dogs. They usually weigh between 20 and 30 kg (45 and 65 lb);
6210-520: The new sole-owner of the club, which she renames "Ruby’s". In May 2022, Ruby puts the club up for sale and Sam Mitchell ( Kim Medcalf ) discovers that her brother, Phil’s, money-laundering associate, Jonah Tyler (Mark Mooney), is planning on buying the club from Ruby. She approaches Phil with this news and they agree to outbuy Jonah, reopen the club as a wine bar and run it together; renaming it "Peggy’s" in honour of their late mother, Peggy Mitchell ( Barbara Windsor ). Co-run by Phil, Sam, Kat and Sharon,
6300-415: The opening night of Peggy’s was on 7 July 2022. The Dagmar at 10 Turpin Road is first mentioned in 1986 and seen in 1987 when James Willmott-Brown ( William Boyde ) takes over and turns it into a wine bar. After James rapes Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth ), the bar is burnt down on the orders of Den. The building is then used for several businesses, including Ian Beale 's ( Adam Woodyatt ) Meal Machine,
6390-429: The property to Weyland & Co, a property development company, which upsets Kathy. Weeks later, Fi Browning ( Lisa Faulkner ), a business consultant for the company, gifts the café to Kathy after discovering that her father, James Willmott-Brown ( William Boyde ) raped Kathy. The launderette is owned by Mr Papadopolous until his death in 1992; the business passes to his son, Andonis Papadopolous and in 2016, it
6480-513: The puppies are stillborn . When Robbie begins a relationship with a woman allergic to dogs, she gives him the ultimatum of choosing between her and Wellard: Robbie chooses Wellard. Several years later, when Robbie is due to leave Walford to live in India , Wellard is run over, delaying Robbie's departure. He is cared for by Robbie's sister Sonia ( Natalie Cassidy ), who gives him to her friend Gus ( Mohammed George ) after Robbie's departure. When Gus
6570-480: The refurbishment and rebrands it "E20" again in honour of his father, Steve, while infuriating Mel, who goes along with it to keep Hunter happy. When Mel's ex-husband Ray Kelly ( Sean Mahon ) plans to remarry her, he buys Phil's 50% stake in the E20 and gifts it to Mel as a wedding present. In November 2019, Mel decides to sell her half of the E20 to Ruby and later blackmails Sharon into selling her half too, leaving Ruby as
6660-532: The series, although the demolition was cancelled. Walford Common was introduced to the series for the " Who Killed Lucy Beale? " storyline in 2014, while Walford Common underground station was introduced in 2019. Other Walford streets mentioned at various times include Clifton Hill Road, New Street, Fairford Lane, Elwell Road, Sewardstone Road, Clarisdown Street, Wellington Road, Crescent Park Road, Somer Street, Station Road, Elm Road and Montpelier Road. Lou Beale ( Anna Wing ) also mentions in 1987 that Bassett Street
6750-481: The show's creator read that the East End was the haunt of notorious highwaymen, such as Dick Turpin . The nightclub on Turpin Road is originally named Strokes Wine Bar until George Palmer ( Paul Moriarty ) buys it and renames it "The Cobra Club". He uses the club as a cover for his criminal business. Annie Palmer ( Nadia Sawalha ), George's daughter, takes over the control of the club when he leaves; she renames
6840-583: The show's longest-running characters, and its longest-serving pet. In October 1994, Walford resident Robbie Jackson ( Dean Gaffney ) takes in a dog he assumes to be a stray, naming him Wellard. The dog's owner, Mr Hammond, locates him and demands him back, but Wellard later returns to Albert Square of his own accord. Robbie realises he has been mistreated and has run away. Mr Hammond admits to neglecting Wellard, and allows Robbie to keep him. Wellard fathers puppies with Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp ) and Nigel Bates 's ( Paul Bradley ) greyhound , Frieda; however,
6930-499: The snooker club, the County Court and Magistrates' Courts courtrooms, and the cemetery (where most of the deceased characters are interred). The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland , lived and a blend of Walthamstow , where Holland was born, and Stratford . The suffix '-ford' is found throughout Britain (for example, Bradford , Guildford and Telford ); it just means
7020-618: The station it replaces Bromley-by-Bow on the District line , although the building is in the style of the Bakerloo line stations designed by Stanley Heaps . The train sound was first heard in 1987 and the train's first appearance was in 1988 at Lou Beale 's funeral. Trains did not appear again until 4 February 2010, when CGI was used in the show for the first time. Platforms within the station were first seen in 2011 when Charlie Slater ( Derek Martin ) left Walford. George Street also has
7110-462: The storyline "bizarre" and accused the BBC of being "desperate to boost flagging ratings". An EastEnders spokesman responded that it was simply "a funny story which we hope the nation will get behind." In June 2008, it was reported that Wellard was to be killed off. A show insider explained: "Wellard has been a much-loved character and everyone will be sad to see him go. But if you think about it, Wellard
7200-561: The television and film industry, having appeared on A Touch of Frost , The Jonny Vaughan Show , 102 Dalmatians and Gladiator . Raddings revealed that Kyte came to understand the words "action" and "cut", meaning the director would sometimes have to give an alternate cue such as "go" during scenes featuring Wellard, as the dog would become instantly alert upon hearing the usual commands, which appeared incongruous in scenes which called for Wellard to be relaxed. Kyte worked closely with Mohammed George , who played Wellard's owner Gus. George
7290-437: The two together to give Scarlet a more open space. After 4 Turpin Road is again separated into two buildings in 2011, Janine Butcher uses it to house her property management business, Butcher's Joints. After Janine's arrest for murder, it is converted into a salon called Blades, owned by Dean Wicks ( Matt Di Angelo ) until he is arrested for rape. Belinda Peacock ( Carli Norris ) then opens her own salon called Elysium until she
7380-467: The type to vary greatly in appearance. As a part of their work, Professor Reul's team assembled 117 specimens and began the process of standardising them into distinct varieties. Classifying them as a single breed, initially Professor Reul's team divided the breed into six different varieties based on coat type and colour; between 1892 when the first breed standard was drafted and 1956, as few as two varieties and as many as eight were recognised by either
7470-462: The viability of the breed and in late 1945, it was decided once again that matings between dogs of the different varieties was to be encouraged, and through careful breeding the Belgian Shepherd recovered in numbers. In 1956 the current breed standard was adopted and it specified the four varieties known today; the Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois and Tervuren. The Groenendael variety is believed to have been created in 1885 by Nicholas Rose, owner of
7560-451: Was "a firm favourite with the soap's fans". The dogs received fanmail from viewers hailing them as the best actors on EastEnders . Zenna, Chancer and Kyte were occasional targets of professional jealousy from their human co-stars, and some television critics have suggested that Wellard was a better character than his owner, Robbie. When Michael Greco commented in 2002 that Wellard received better scripts than his character, Beppe di Marco ,
7650-495: Was a long-haired fawn bitch named "Miss" who was purchased by a M. Deanhieux. Miss was bred with Duc de Groenendael, the foundation sire of the Groenendael variety, and the fawn progeny became the Tervuren variety who take their name from the region of Tervuren . The Tervuren variety is considered particularly robust and healthy and in Europe a number of breeders use them to reinforce the bloodlines of other varieties, particularly
7740-569: Was afraid of dogs as a child, but after working with Kyte for three years, commented that they were so close he "sometimes [felt] like [her] dad." Wellard was briefly written out of the show under executive producer Matthew Robinson , but returned in 2000, when Robinson was succeeded by John Yorke . A show insider commented: "Wellard just disappeared. It seemed odd because Robbie loved that dog and never noticed it had gone." An EastEnders spokesman stated of his return: "John Yorke believes Wellard should be an integral part of Robbie's character." When
7830-405: Was cast at the age of one. Producers had envisioned Wellard as a "rough, tough mongrel", and Zenna's owner, dog-handler Gill Raddings, explained: "She had the look they wanted and the ability to do what was needed on command." EastEnders ' producers were initially unaware that Zenna was female, and had to find a canine double to serve as temporary replacement in 1996 when it transpired that she
7920-417: Was not a puppy when he arrived on Albert Square, so he would be over 100 in dog years by now. It makes sense for him to bow out of the show gracefully." Raddings commented: "I used to take Kyte on set everyday but I found the scenes when Wellard was put down too hard to watch so I asked someone else to take her to filming." At the time of his death, Wellard had been in EastEnders for 14 years, making him one of
8010-468: Was pregnant, going on to deliver 10 puppies. Zenna was retired in 1998, as she was "losing her looks". Zenna was replaced in the soap by her daughter Chancer, who was in turn succeeded by her own daughter, Kyte. Kyte played Wellard for seven years, longer than Zenna and Chancer. The dog, whose pedigree name is Minka Independance Kyte, came to the soap from Raddings' company Stunt Dogs, along with another EastEnders dog, Terence. She had previous experience in
8100-465: Was previously Walford's B&B, 'Kim's Palace'. North of the old B&B is the rear of 55 Victoria Road. A row of five terraced houses line the north edge of Albert Square. The westernmost house is number 31. The property next door is split into two flats. Number 25 is the home of Dot Cotton ( June Brown ). The easternmost property in the terrace is number 23, which was destroyed in September 2014 by
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